National Parks are wonderful places to feel immersed in nature and learn about ecosystems. So when entitled tourists break rules and threaten the safety of ecosystems and historical spaces, it is considered a crime.
National Parks Traveler is looking for tips to identify a rule-breaking tourist couple. The couple was visiting Canyonlands National Park in Utah and were caught hanging around the Cave Spring Cowboy Camp, a section that is off-limits to tourists as it is historically preserved, as per National Parks Traveler. It is an unfortunate example of tourists not following national park rules and risking detriment to history and nature alike.
Captured by a trail camera, the couple went into the Cowboy Camp, messed around with the historic harnesses that lay there, and are suspected of stealing artifacts too. Park Rangers are seeking information about the couple using images from the trail camera.
Canyonlands' Cave Spring Trail's official page on the National Park Service explicitly states, "Entering, touching, or climbing on archeological sites is strictly prohibited," due to the fragile structures and artifacts. Ignoring these rules and causing detriment to the camp is not only harmful to American history, but it can also wreak havoc on the natural life that exists within the state park.
In the Canyonlands National Park, for instance, much of the desert environment may seem like it is without flora and fauna, but it is actually made up of biological soil crust.
"This crust is made up of cyanobacteria, lichens, moss, fungi, and algae, and it is an essential component of the desert ecosystem. It protects soils from wind and water erosion and enriches them with nitrogen and other nutrients. Biological soil can take years to grow, and careless footsteps can crush it," reported NPS.
Therefore, stepping off of official trails and into forbidden areas can negatively impact the entire ecosystem just from crushing it under your shoes. This is why it is crucial that humans respect their surrounding environments and harbor spaces for healthy ecosystems to thrive.
"As always, there's always some that think rules don't apply to them!!" someone commented on a Yahoo repost.
"I hope they catch them," commented another.
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